Population Policy Summary

See also

We love Aotearoa New Zealand, and we want to look after it and all of its people.

We want to make sure that there is enough for all Kiwis, our Pacific neighbours and all of humanity, to enjoy a decent quality of life.

We can do this by living and doing business in smarter, greener ways.

Our Population Policy is about understanding the optimal population for Aotearoa, planning for the future, and enabling parents to make informed choices about family size.

Our current resident population is over 4 million, with at least another million New Zealand citizens and their dependents overseas. Our birth rate is roughly at replacement level at the moment. Our per capita ecological footprint is among the highest in the world, but our population density is low compared to other countries. Ministry of the Environment current modelling estimates put our carrying capacity at 5.7 million, but an agreed optimum population size for Aotearoa/New Zealand cannot be easily determined.

Key Principles

New Zealand's population should not exceed the ecological carrying capacity of the country.

Uneven regional distribution of the population will be remedied through regional development measures.

Informed decisions about family size and spacing will be made by the parents concerned.

A stable population is desirable to minimise negative impacts on infrastructure and resources.

Specific Policy Points

Determining a sustainable population for Aotearoa/New Zealand

Support continuing development of the Ministry for the Environment's Ecological Footprint modelling to incorporate best practice.

Seek to reduce New Zealand's per capita ecological footprint by supporting practices that curb unnecessary production and consumption.

Fertility and natural increase of the population

Ensure that all potential and existing parents have full and free access to family planning services so that informed decisions about the number and spacing of children can be made by the parents concerned.